By Regina Elaine Vendivil
No reserve has been allotted for the health workers in 2022 as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) denies the Department of Health’s (DOH) request for the pandemic response budget in 2022.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told lawmakers last Thursday, September 2, 2021, that the DOH has initially requested an amount of ₱73.99 billion worth of COVID-19 response funds wherein the following would be covered:
- ₱50.41 billion for the Special Risk Allowance (SRA), hazard duty pay, allowances for meals, accommodation and transportation, and life insurance of health workers
- ₱9.9 billion to support the hospitals
- ₱6.6 billion for the hiring of more vaccinators
- ₱1.3 billion for the hiring of diseases surveillance officers
- ₱4.4 billion for oxygen needs
- ₱1.5 billion for other expenses
“The budget we (DOH) proposed to DBM was actually ₱73.99 billion (for pandemic response),” said Duque in a House hearing. The total budget proposal of DOH was ₱242 billion.
However, the DBM only approved ₱19.68 billion as they excluded the health department’s request from the agency’s proposed funds.
Marikina 2nd District Representative Stella Quimbo then remarked that ₱19.68 billion for COVID-19 response is not enough to cover the needs of the public and the health sector.
“Hindi kaya masyadong maliit ‘yung ₱19.68 bilyon na ina-allot ninyo para sa buong 2022 considering na magtatagal ‘yung pandemya?” Quimbo stated.
(Isn’t ₱19.68 billion budget for the entire 2022 too small considering the prolonged pandemic?”)
Quimbo added that as of June 30, the health agency still has ₱51.2-billion worth of unobligated pandemic funds, and asked why these can’t be allocated for the payment of different benefits.
OIC-Director IV of the DOH’s Finance Management Service Rowena Lora then stated that as of the end of August, a significant amount from ₱51.2-billion has already been obligated for additional vaccines, including the COVID-related expenses of operating units.
“We have been trying to look for the funds needed for the benefits of the health workers,” Lora said.
Duque also asked for the DOH to be given more time to assess which funds can be reallocated for the SRA wherein health workers are given a maximum of ₱5,000 per month and ₱3,000 for active hazard duty.
References:
CNN Philippines Staff. (2021d, September 2). No funds for frontliners’ benefits in proposed 2022 budget as DBM denies DOH request. CNN Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/9/2/No-SRA-funds-DOH-2022-budget.html
Tomacruz, S. (2021b, September 2). No funds allotted for health workers’ COVID-19 benefits in DOH 2022 budget. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/no-funds-allotted-health-workers-covid-19-benefits-doh-budget-2022?fbclid=IwAR1PetYOKZIZWYY84eBRZxVjRdNfg-yirP7ASFtrqrVej3TOx8TGhy3H6jU
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